Health Programs
WIND Guatemala supports the health of children and families in San Juan Cotzal through student nutrition, dental care, health education, and assistance with serious medical needs.
“When kids arrive to school hungry and malnourished, it has a direct impact on their ability to focus and learn in the classroom. They lack energy. Teachers have told us that after joining the feeding program, where they receive a daily nutritious lunch, there has been a clear improvement in the classroom.”
-Rich Rice, Executive Director of WIND
Cotzal is an area rich in agriculture, but food is not plentiful for area families. If a mother or father can’t work, they can’t put food on the table each day. Many children come to school hungry, and these students have a difficult time concentrating in class and learning.
JOIN US IN MAKING SURE EACH CHILD HAS ONE HEALTHY MEAL A DAY.
In 2014, WIND initiated a feeding program to meet the needs of malnourished children who struggle in the classroom. Through our generous donors, WIND now provides lunch for 40 students each day. As enrollment at Colegio Horeb increases year to year, likewise so has the number of children coming to school hungry. For young children ages 5 -12, their performance in the classroom is directly aligned with their levels of nutrition. We employ local moms to cook and serve the meals, thus ensuring their own employment and income.
(On our donate page, choose “Feeding Program” in the drop down menu)
After many years of taking dental teams to the Ixil region of Guatemala, WIND is beginning to see fruit from our labor. From our efforts to educate children and teachers, we have witnessed better overall dental hygiene practices. The result is fewer extractions and more preventative care. We feel that we are just starting to gain momentum toward the desired long term impact. But our efforts are only beginning.
WIND’s long-term goal is to build a sustainable dental program focused on prevention, education, and improved dental hygiene for children and families in San Juan Cotzal.
It is the vision of WIND to deliver a progressive and sustainable dental program which will forever change the dental health in the community of San Juan Cotzal, Quiche, Guatemala. The program will be anchored in prevention through effective education of every child and family in the community.
Medical Assistance
When It Needs Doing
WIND has also helped facilitate medical care for significant health needs as they arise within the community. In a region where families often face limited access to specialized treatment, transportation, and financial resources, these situations can quickly become overwhelming. When serious medical concerns are identified, WIND seeks to come alongside families by helping connect them with appropriate care, assisting with logistics when possible, and supporting them through the process.
This work is not a formal medical program or clinic, but a compassionate response to urgent needs among the families and children connected to WIND’s ministry. Whether the need involves evaluations, treatment, travel, or follow-up care, the goal is to help remove barriers so that vulnerable families are not left to face serious health challenges alone.